


As the Ball Drops, and Whatnot

by yggrites



Series: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 09:16:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13210653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yggrites/pseuds/yggrites
Summary: Random encounters on New Year's Eve can only be a trick of fate.Sequel to Five days of the Starks





	As the Ball Drops, and Whatnot

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! So, as I said, this is a sequel to my previous work on this series. It still makes sense, I hope, even if you don't read any of the previous works, but it's way more fun if you do. And to all of you that came here after finishing Five days of the Starks, thank you so much for sticking with this mess.  
> Happy New Year!  
> PS: I have literally nothing against bar crawls on New Year's Eve, I do them myself.

Thank God it was already the 31st, Arya could easily go insane if she had to spend 2 more weeks at home. She loved her family and she missed being home, but it had been 2 weeks and now Sansa had left with Margaery to spend New Year's Eve in Highgarden, Robb and Jeyne were back in kingslanding and Jon was back at the Wall. If she had to spend anymore time playing video games with Rickon she would scream.

Arya could hear him, as she put on a flowy, grey blouse that matched her dark jeans, complaining about having to spend New Year's Eve at the Reeds. After doing what passed as her make-up, she passed Rickon as she picked up one of her white snow coats that made her look like a marshmallow with two little toothpicks sticking out.

"Why do you get to go out?" He complained.

Arya sighed as she fixed herself in the hallway mirror. "Because I actually have friends who want to be with me."

"So do I," he leaned against the closet door. " it's mum who won't let me go to Bear Island with them."

"Because you're still 16."

"Then why do you get to go out?"

Arya turned around to face him. "Dude, I'm four years older than you."

Rickon only stuck his tongue out at her. She reached up to mess up his hair as she picked up her bag. "Try not to be such a pain in the ass. Maybe that should be your New Year's Resolution?" She threw at him brightly, and she was out the door before he could reply, getting into Alys' car, who was already waiting for her.

Her plan had been to attend the Karstark's New Year's Eve Extravaganza, per Alys' invitation but after the heights that last year's party had taken - no one dared mention it in the presence of the Karstarks at the fear of losing a very vital body part or another - the plan was re-designed and turned into a bar crawl. Theoretically, Arya thought that a bar crawl on New Year's Eve sounded a little sad. But the snowstorm had passed, giving way to some soft but consistent snowing and Wintertown was coming alive. The Christmas lights and decorations were still up and there were people everywhere as all the bar were having special New Year's programs. There was also an unspoken New Year's closing hour in every bar, where they would only close after the last costumer left, even if that meant 8 in morning.

They started the night off in a sky resort kind of bar, meeting with Alys brothers, where everything was woody and stony and drinks were all 50% off, before moving on to Wintertown's biggest nightclub.

When it came to nightclubs, Braavos was the city for partying. In fact, none of the small bars in Wintertown could really compare. But she missed the familiarity and how she knew most of the bar tenders working downtown who would slip her a beer or two before she was old enough to drink.

That was what Arya was thinking about as she leaned against one of the tall tables in her favourite pub, where they had decided to wait for midnight. The Brotherhood Without Banners were finishing their set - she had almost learnt it by heart - while she waited for Alys to come back with her drink. She wasn't exactly aware where her brothers had disappeared off to, Arya was well into tipsy territory at this point.

Alys was making her way to her, when something caught her eye.

Or better yet, someone. Gendry was on the other side of the bar, his hair as big of a mess as ever, in a way that Arya itched to run her fingers through it, and wearing one of his infamous worn knitted sweaters as he ordered another drink.

"Alright, missy," Alys setting down her glass in front of Arya made her snap back into reality. "we are in need of a serious conversation."

She was a little afraid. Nothing good could come from Alys at this point of the night. "I have seen  _at least_ 3 guys talking you up tonight and yet you're still here. And alone."

"You're right in front of me." Arya deadpanned. Alys only rolled her eyes.

"Stop diverting!" She wiggled her eyebrows. "Is there some braavosi hunk I haven't met yet?"

This was good, diverting all the way across the sea. Arya hadn't talked to Gendry once in the week that followed Christmas and she wasn't about to get into those details now." Now you're just trying to live through _my_ love life. As far as I can see you're here alone as well."

"I thought I told you to stop diverting!" Alys leaned forward as if she was about to whisper something but she proceeded to talk as loud as ever. "Now, who is the guy that caught the eye of Arya Stark?"

"No one." Arya tried to sound uninterested but she couldn't help her eyes when they drifted back to Gendry. And Alys might have been drunk already, but oh did she notice. Her eyes followed Arya's and she started laughing.

The thought that she could see Gendry tonight may or may not have been the reason why she had spent an extra 20 minutes getting ready.

"And now it all makes sense."

"Shut up!"

Alys stopped laughing but there was devilish sparkle to her eyes. "You never actually told me what happened between you two, you were awfully close at the party."

Arya simply rolled her eyes. "What, between him hitting me with a book and kissing me two days later?"

Alys face looked like Rickon's before Christmas Presents. "You never told me you kissed!"

Arya cursed herself, looking in Gendry's direction again as if that would help her current situation. It didn't.

He was leaning against one of the speakers next to the stage, talking to the band. "You still sound like shit." He announced as he clapped Anguy on the back.

"That's because you're always drunk when you come to see us." He replied.

Gendry pretended to think on it for a moment. "If I were drunk wouldn't I think you guys sounded better?"

"That would have been if you had ever listened to us sober, you ass." Thoros chimed in.

They proceeded to make fun of Gendry until he pointed out two girls standing behind Thoros. "You're taking in groupies now?" The two girls had been staring at Thoros for a good 10 minutes now, laughing and giggling between themselves.

"I think I might have just gotten myself someone to kiss on midnight." He winked.

"Do people actually do that?" Gendry wondered aloud. Thoros was making his way towards the girls but turned around and slung one arm over Gendry's shoulders.

"Maybe this is the year you get to."

He groaned. "Not this again."

Gendry had established a New Year's Eve tradition with the Brotherhood on his freshman year. He couldn't even remember how he met Anguy - probably on some night out - and he had talked Gendry into going to one of his show. Then he started calling him up anytime they were in the North and Gendry found himself in one of their shows on New Year's Eve.

They had all gotten too drunk that night and Thoros ended up daring him to kiss some random girl at midnight and that had continued for many other New Year's Eves.

Except Gendry never felt particularly good about it, so he just ended up talking to the girls for a while before giving them an easy out.

Thoros was scanning the crowd when his eyes landed on someone. "How about her?"

He tried not to give away anything when he saw Thoros pointing at Arya. Anguy gave a low whistle of approval.

Gendry hadn't so much as talked to her in the last week. Not only was she Jon's sister, Arya was a good 5 years younger thean him. And as far as he knew, there could be some braavosi ass after her, - he really hoped not - it never really crossed his mind to ask about that.

But this could be his out of this stupid dare.  
"I feel like this is degrading to women in general." He pointed out.

"Yet you still do it!" Anguy shouted after him as Gendry made his way to her table, where she was talking with the Karstark girl. He was only now remembering that Arya probably wouldn't like to be on the end of a dare and decided to keep that piece of information to himself. He smiled and turned to the Karstark girl.

"Hey, you are-" Gendry was about to guess her name by trying one of the many Northern ones he had learnt so far but she cut him off.

"Just leaving." She then turned to Arya. "Yell if you need me." And with that she was off.

"I sweat to god," Arya turned to him after watching her friend disappear into the crowd where she would most definitely not hear her yelling. "one of these days she's going to leave me with some creep and be surprised when I turn up on the side of some road."

"I could try to convince you I'm not a creep but there's not much I did so far that indicates otherwise." He pointed out. "However, I'm sure you could kick my ass before I left you on the side of the road."

Arya seemed to consider his words. He couldn't stop thinking she was even more beautiful up close. "True." She decided to change the subject. "You're not with Jon." He had sent her a text a few days ago telling her he was throwing a party in his apartment.

"Very observant." He teased her. Arya rolled her eyes. "I usually spend New Year's with some friends. Also, I needed a break from listening to him and Ygritte having sex against my bedroom wall."

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

She nodded then srcunched up her nose and pointed behind him.

"Are they staring at us for any particular reason?"

Gendry turned around to see Anguy, Beric and Lem giving him a thumbs up. "Just ignore it." When he turned back around, he saw Arya's eyes were fixed on him. _Screw whatever braavosi ass there might be_. "How's the nose?"

She gave him a smile. "It's good."

"Good."

Arya didn't register his hand on the small of her back until Gendry's lips were on hers, soft and warm and tasting like beer. She had to pull away to breathe and, unfortunately, he let her go, running his fingers through his hair.

"I understand this will sound creepy whichever way I put it, I mean we did meet last week." He looked up to her eyes, she looked a little puzzled. _Here goes nothing_. "And I know I'm in no position to ask anything of you, Arya, but... I really, _really_ don't want to see anyone else. And I wanted you to know that. And I also know that I'm at the Wall and you're in Braavos and everything, but..." Gendry realised he didn't have anything else to say, so he shrugged, waiting for an answer.

"I don't want to see anyone else either." She told him eventually, and there might have actually been a smile on her lips. "And I'm only in Braavos for another semester. Maybe we should just work it out from there."

"Alright." He smiled what he was aware was a pretty goofy smile. Never had it crossed his mind that something could be this easy when Arya was involved. Her smile widened as well.

"Alright."

Gendry tore his eyes away from hers to look at the clook. They still had 40 seconds until midnight.

"You sort of screwed up my timing here." He told her. "I was expecting you to go on and on some  more so I could kiss you. You know, as the ball dropped and everything." He paused and looked at her lips, shrugging. "But I suppose I can always kiss you _until_ midnight."

Arya laughed and then pretended to be bored. "Well, I guess I can make that sacrifice."

Gendry narrowed his eyes at her but smiled. "Shut up."

He was still smiling as their lips met.

 


End file.
